LGBT+ conversion therapy: banned on Facebook, but thriving in Arabic

 https://www.ynetnews.com/magazine/article/HkDvQg89d

 In recent years, a number of countries, including Brazil, Ecuador and Germany, have imposed total or partial bans on conversion therapy, which can include talk therapy, hypnosis, electric shocks and fasting.

In July 2020, a United Nations special rapporteur concluded that conversion therapy practices - long shunned by the mainstream medical community – can amount to torture and ill-treatment when conducted forcibly.

Despite increased global scrutiny, conversion therapy remains legal in most countries including in the Arab world, where LGBT+ people often face persecution or discrimination.

Why is Miriam accused of sinning when she clearly was only trying to help her sister-in-law?

 Bamidbar (12:1) וַתְּדַבֵּ֨ר מִרְיָ֤ם וְאַהֲרֹן֙ בְּמֹשֶׁ֔ה עַל־אֹד֛וֹת הָאִשָּׁ֥ה הַכֻּשִׁ֖ית אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקָ֑ח כִּֽי־אִשָּׁ֥ה כֻשִׁ֖ית לָקָֽח׃

Ramban (Bamidbar 12:3) NOW THE MAN MOSES WAS VERY MEEK. This [is stated] to tell us that G-d Himself was zealous for Moses’ sake on account of his [great] humility, since he would never pay attention to injustice [meted out to him] even if he were to consider it such [and therefore G-d vindicated his innocence]. And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained [the meaning of this phrase] by saying that Moses never sought superiority over any person, nor did he ever pride himself at all about his high position, and certainly not in relation to his brother, thus they [Miriam and Aaron] sinned by speaking against him for no reason.The slander was in connection with Moses’ separating himself from his wife, which Miriam and Aaron attributed to his pride, as if to show that he was a holy man. “We also receive Divine revelations,” they said, “and yet continue our conjugal life.” But in the Sifre [it is said]:Sifre Beha’alothcha 100. “Rabbi Nathan says: They spoke against Moses even in his presence, as it is said, And the Eternal heard it. Now the man Moses was very meek,Verses 2-3. and he restrained himself about the matter.” [According to the Sifre, therefore, Scripture] mentions Moses’ meekness in that he endured [their insult] and did not answer them back, and that G-d was [therefore] zealous for his sake. 

Chofetz Chaim (Devarim 24:9): "Remember what the L-rd your G-d did to Miriam on the way when you went out of Egypt." The Torah exhorted us hereby that we mention verbally, always, the great punishment [leprosy] that the Blessed Lrd brought upon the tzadeketh, Miriam the prophetess — who spoke only about her brother, whom she loved as her soul...she did not speak in denigration of him, but only compared him to other prophets. And she did not speak so to his face to shame him, and not in public, but only to her brother Aaron, privately. And he [Moses] was not offended by all this, but in spite of which all her good deeds did not avail her and she was punished with leprosy for this. How much more so will other people, the fools, who are prolix in speaking "great and awesome things" against their friends, be severely punished for this. 

 Rashi (Bamidbar 12:8) Mouth to mouth I have spoken with him— I have Myself told him to separate from his wife. And where did I tell him this? On Sinai, when I said to him, (Devarim 27-28) “Go, say to to the people, ‘Get you into your tents (rejoin your wives). But as for you, remain you here by Me, and I will speak to you’”

Trump 'is telling people he will be reinstated as president by AUGUST' after Mike Flynn called for a 'Myanmar-style coup' to replace Biden

 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9640791/Trump-telling-people-reinstated-president-AUGUST.html

• Former President Donald Trump is telling people he wil be reinstated as president by August, according to The New York Times' Maggie Haberman 
• Haberman commented Tuesday on a CNN story that showed Trump supporters expressing support for a Myanmar-style coup to bring Trump back 
• The journalist noted that Trump has been pushing the idea of reinstatement as the Manhattan district attorney has convened a grand jury that could indict him

 

Israeli opposition parties strike coalition deal, paving the way for Netanyahu's exit

 https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/02/middleeast/israel-coalition-deal-intl/index.html

 The new government ​consists of a number of parties from across the political spectrum, from the left-wing Meretz to Bennett's right-wing Yamina party.

In a historic moment, the small Islamist party United Arab List also decided to join the coalition, the first time an Arab-Israeli party has joined a coalition. The party is unlikely to have a minister in the government, but will have negotiated with the coalition on issues important to them.

Not much unites the parties other than their desire to oust Netanyahu, and the parties differ in their stances on some of the country's most pressing issues, especially relations with the Palestinians.

Lapid announces: I have succeeded in forming a government

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/307378

 Lapid spoke to the president on the phone and informed him that the government will comprise Yesh Atid, Blue and White, Yamina, Labor, Yisrael Beytenu, New Hope, Meretz and Ra’am.

Yamina chairman Naftali Bennett will be Prime Minister and Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid will be Alternate Prime Minister..

 Lapid spoke to the president on the phone and informed him that the government will comprise Yesh Atid, Blue and White, Yamina, Labor, Yisrael Beytenu, New Hope, Meretz and Ra’am.

Yamina chairman Naftali Bennett will be Prime Minister and Yesh Atid chairman MK Yair Lapid will be Alternate Prime Minister.

Mansour Abbas signs with Yair Lapid

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/307377

Ra'am Chairman Mansour Abbas has signed a document allowing Chairman of Yesh Atid Yair Lapid to notify the president he has succeeded in forming a government after Abbas reached an agreement on his demands with Lapid.

Ra'am chairman Mansour Abbas demanded that the government's guidelines not include laws in favor of the LGBT community.

This is a significant withdrawal on the part of some of the left-wing bloc parties from their positions in principle on the issue, for the sake of the formation of a government not led by Netanyahu.

Abbas also demanded the repeal of the Kaminitz law and the regulation of illegal construction in the Arab sector, and it has not yet been announced which of these he received in talks.

 

 

 

Why Are Conservatives More Susceptible to Believing Lies?

 https://slate.com/technology/2017/11/why-conservatives-are-more-susceptible-to-believing-in-lies.html

 But, the gullibility of many on the right seems to have deeper roots even than this. That may be because at the most basic level, conservatives and liberals seem to hold different beliefs about what constitutes “truth.” Finding facts and pursuing evidence and trusting science is part of liberal ideology itself. For many conservatives, faith and intuition and trust in revealed truth appear as equally valid sources of truth.

Against Lapid Bennet coalition

 

The Big Lie is the GOP’s one and only truth

 https://www.vox.com/22420764/liz-cheney-trump-republicans-democracy-2024

Remaining in the GOP’s good graces requires that elected officials either actively embrace lies about 2020 or, at very least, refuse to condemn them. As a result, 2020 conspiracy theories are exerting a dominant influence on the party, shaping both legislation and the base’s worldview.

Yamina refuses coalition demands made by United Arab List

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/307353

 MK Naftali Bennett, who chairs the Yamina party, has declared his opposition to the fulfillment of a central demand by United Arab List (Ra'am) chair MK Mansour Abbas.

As a condition for his party's support of the proposed minority government, Abbas has demanded the cancellation of the Kaminetz Law, which allows administrative enforcement of laws against illegal construction and increases the severity of punishment for these crimes.

Sources involved in the coalition talks have claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and those close to him are pressuring Abbas to stick to his guns on the Kaminetz Law and demand it be canceled, knowing that Bennett will not agree to such a demand. Netanyahu has promised Abbas that the illegal Bedouin settlements in southern Israel will be normalized.

 

For the Conservative movement, an audit of ethics policies might be overdue

https://forward.com/news/470405/for-the-conservative-movement-an-audit-of-ethics-policies-might-be-overdue/ 

As the R.A. begins its revision process, a parallel soul-searching is happening in the Reform movement. Last month, a probe by Manhattan’s Central Synagogue found that its senior rabbi in the 1970s and 1980s, Sheldon Zimmerman, had engaged in “sexually predatory behavior” with at least three female congregants and employees, including a teenager. The Central Conference of American Rabbis — which suspended Zimmerman in 2000, forcing him to step down as president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion — along with several other Reform movement institutions are investigating their own processes for handling misconduct.

 

New government still not ready as Lapid's deadline looms

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/new-government-still-not-ready-669875

 "It's all on Ayelet Shaked now," a source at coalition talks told The Jerusalem Post. "She's the only real issue left."

Lapid Aims to Announce New Government With Bennett at the Helm

 https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/LIVE-lapid-aims-to-announce-new-government-with-bennett-at-the-helm-1.9866751

 As negotiations to secure a coalition continue, lawmakers and party members say they expect Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett to announce a government before a Wednesday deadline expires and even as early Wednesday at 11 A.M., sending Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the opposition benches after 12 years in power.

This would mean the confidence vote for the new government will be slated for next  Wednesday at the latest.

In case talks are delayed and no final agreements are reached by that time, the Knesset speaker could formally inform the parliament of the new government on Monday, effectively postponing the vote by another week.

Judicial appointments the only remaining snag as Lapid set to declare government

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/judicial-appointments-the-only-remaining-snag-as-lapid-set-to-declare-government/

 Negotiations by the various parties set to make up the so-called change coalition advanced dramatically overnight Tuesday, leaving a disagreement over a judicial appointment panel as the sole remaining issue.

Yamina No. 2 Ayelet Shaked is demanding she be given Labor chief Merav Michaeli’s spot on the Judicial Selection Committee and has threatened to block the formation of the new government if she does not receive the posting.

Though Labor officials have said they would not back down on the committee position, having already completed their negotiations and agreed to join the government, a compromise was nonetheless expected, with political sources telling Hebrew media outlets that the formation of the government would not be prevented by the dispute.